2017 has been dominated by the return of some of the most beloved acts of the 2000s—Fleet Foxes, The National, Dirty Projectors, The Shins, Grizzly Bear, and The xx, to name a few—but LCD Soundsystem’s return might be the most exciting. The dance-punk legends are back, and their sound has aged in the best possible way. James Murphy and co. have produced a set of slower, more reflective tracks, but they can still get you moving. With the country being a seething hellscape right now, it’s hard to say what the American dream means anymore, but if such a thing still exists, James Murphy and his crew have a glorious idea of what it would sound like. Put this on and party like it’s 2007.

FCCs: 2, 6, 9
Favorites: 4, 7, 8, 10

1) “Oh Baby” (5:50) – Song takes 30 seconds to get going, but when it does, damn. It’s a slow, love-struck ballad with twinkling electronics and a fat, synthesized bass.
2) “Other Voices” (6:44) – FCC “s***.” Bassline props up an intricate mix of percussive elements—makes me think of Liquid Liquid or New Order. Keyboardist Nancy Whang gets a jaded, paranoid verse, delivered with cool detachment.
3) “I Used To” (5:33) – Slow, kinda subdued song that doesn’t really cut loose until the guitar solo in the last minute-and-a-half. Bubbling electronic beat throughout the track.
4) “Change Yr Mind” (4:58)* – Mid-paced, strutting number with some scratchy, noisy guitar. Lyrically, sounds like it’s about LCD Soundsystem’s breakup all those years ago. Makes me think of Talking Heads.
5) “How Do You Sleep?” (9:13) – Slow and long song that takes a while to get going. Vocals are kind of far back in the mix, making it hard to make out Murphy’s lyrics. When the bouncy synth kicks in after three-and-a-half minutes, followed by fuller instrumentation after five, it’s a relief.
6) “Tonite” (5:48) – FCC “s***.” Sparse, airtight song driven by a squawking electronic motif and lockstep drumming. Sounds like New Order, which is to say it sounds like early LCD Soundsystem. It’s one of my favorites, but due to the bad word it can’t be played outside safe harbor.
7) “Call the Police” (6:59)* – Are those guitars or synthesizers? I don’t know, but they sound good. One of the more rock-oriented songs on the album, with a propulsive groove. Probably the album highlight.
8) “American Dream” (6:07)* – A skittering electronic waltz. More of a lyrical track, in which Murphy nurses an existential crisis after dropping acid after a one-night stand. It’s funny, but bittersweet.
9) “Emotional Haircut” (5:29) – FCC “f***,” “s***.” This song’s probably the most like a traditional rock song, but it leans more on the rhythm section than guitar riffs.
10) “Black Screen” (12:06)* – The album’s long epilogue is a brooding eulogy to David Bowie, and it sounds like it. Soft electronic pulses are reminiscent of Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy. Last four minutes are reminiscent of Brian Eno’s ambient works—let those play out as long as you’d like. Last 30 seconds are virtually silence.